Redback39 B350 circling south of Sydney for hours?

[NickN]

Have been watching this ADF King Air circling south of Sydney between Canberra and the coast for hours now, maintaining FL160 and just doing laps, anybody know what's going on with that? Aircraft is A32-439.

[AdamC]

Nick down here in Nowra we've had 5 blackhawks and an army kingair.

Not sure what they are doing here and don't know why they were circling for hours, i'll see what i can find out.

[NickN]

Much appreciated. They were up there for a long time very curious to know what was happening.

[Andrew McLaughlin]

The Army King Airs have some pretty funky surveillance equipment on them. They can stand off from a landing zone and provide real-time information to helicopters on whether there is a threat around that area etc.

[NickN]

I am glad you said that Andrew, I was sitting there last night thinking to myself "I wonder if they are doing some sort of surveillance training or similar" but I thought that may have been a bit too far fetched but I don't feel so silly for thinking that now. Perhaps they were doing some training and giving the Blackhawks some sort of air support?

I'd love to see the inside of the ADF King Airs one day, that would be a blast. I am sure for security reasons there are no cabin shots floating around?

[Andrew McLaughlin]

Please refrain from quoting the whole previous post in your post, it is not necessary, thank you - mod

Only two of them (Army 173SQN) have the funky stuff on board - the rest (RAAF) are Nav trainers.